Raakh Review: I wasn’t planning to binge-watch Raakh. Seriously. The plan was simple. Watch one episode, maybe two if it was good, and then call it a night. That didn’t happen. A few hours later, I was still sitting there watching one episode after another, and by the time it ended, I wasn’t even thinking about the investigation anymore.
I was thinking about the people. And honestly, that’s what surprised me most. Because when I started Raakh, I thought I knew exactly what I was getting. Another crime thriller. Another kidnapping case. Another cat-and-mouse chase between cops and criminals. We’ve seen dozens of those.
Maybe hundreds. The first couple of episodes didn’t exactly convince me otherwise either. They’re good. But if you’d asked me after Episode 2 whether I was watching something special, I probably would’ve shrugged and said, “It’s decent.” Then Episode 3 happened. And that’s where this show completely changed for me.
This Show Isn’t About The Crime
Or at least that’s not what stayed with me. The crime itself is horrifying. The Geeta and Sanjay Chopra case is already one of the most heartbreaking cases in Indian criminal history. Most people know it through the Billa-Ranga story. The facts are disturbing enough on their own. But what got me wasn’t the crime.
It was the aftermath. The parents. The waiting. The uncertainty. The helplessness. There were moments during this series where I completely forgot I was watching a crime show. I was just watching two parents slowly break apart. And those scenes hurt.
Sonali Bendre Absolutely Destroyed Me
I’m not exaggerating. I genuinely think this is one of the best performances I’ve seen from her. Not because she’s loud. Not because she has dramatic monologues. Actually, it’s the opposite. A lot of her best moments happen when she isn’t saying much at all. She’s just there. Trying to process something that no parent should ever have to process.
And maybe this is going to sound strange, but I’m glad they didn’t try to make her look glamorous. She looks tired. Exhausted. Like somebody who hasn’t slept properly in days. Because that’s exactly what the character should look like. Every time she appeared on screen, I believed her. Not as an actress. As a mother. There’s a difference.
The Villains Made Me Angry
Not scared. Angry. There’s a scene in the later episodes where I remember literally saying out loud, “Just catch these idiots already.” And I was watching alone. That’s how invested I had become. Akash Makhija and Raman Deep Yadav are unbelievable in this show. The scary part isn’t that they’re violent. The scary part is how normal they seem while doing horrible things.
There’s no movie-style villain energy. No dramatic background music telling you they’re evil. They’re just two messed-up people making one terrible decision after another. And somehow that feels worse.
Around Episode 6, I Realized Something
I wasn’t watching for suspense anymore. I already knew where the story was heading. Most viewers probably do. But I couldn’t stop watching. That’s when I realized the show wasn’t working because of the investigation. It was working because I cared about everyone involved.
The victims. The parents. Even some of the police officers. I wanted justice as badly as they did. That’s rare. Most crime dramas want you to solve a puzzle. This one makes you feel something.
Ali Fazal Was Exactly What The Show Needed
I actually liked how understated he was. No superhero cop nonsense. No chest-thumping speeches. No impossible detective skills. Just a guy trying to do his job. That restraint made the performance feel real. And by the final episode, I was completely sold. Honestly, I think this might be the best work of his career. I know that’s a big statement. But after finishing the show, that’s genuinely how I felt.
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The Last Episode of Raakh Is Why I’ll Remember This Show
Without spoiling anything, Episode 8 is the reason this series stayed with me. After Episode 7, I actually wondered why there was another episode left. Then I watched it. And suddenly everything clicked. The ending isn’t there to shock you. It isn’t there to give you one final twist. It’s there to make you sit with everything you’ve just seen.
And when the credits rolled, I didn’t immediately pick up my phone. I didn’t start another show. I just sat there for a few minutes. Thinking. Which, honestly, doesn’t happen very often anymore.
Final Thoughts on Raakh
I’ve watched a ridiculous number of crime dramas over the years. Some are smarter. Some are faster. Some are more stylish. But very few have stayed in my head the way Raakh has. Maybe it’s because I’m older now. Maybe it’s because stories about families hit differently than they used to. I don’t know.
What I do know is that this show got under my skin. And even now, days later, I’m still thinking about parts of it. For me, that’s usually the sign that a show did something right.
Rating: 9.5/10
Just don’t go into Raakh expecting easy entertainment. This one stays with you.